The Philosophical, Cultural, Political or Religious Rant Thread

[Animal]

You posted this on my birthday. That *same day,* I was just talking about this with my co-author, how I wished I had more education in it; how I misunderstood some of the concepts in our own fictional world, which he so intelligently introduced, because I lacked religious education, and how I took comparative religion in college, but it wasnt the same as talking to people who actually grew up in that culture --- which is FINALLY starting to orient me more toward that state of mind. It's so interesting you brought this up literally the same day I was talking about it!!!

[Vive]

I used to be glad I was raised without much of a real religion, but at this point I wish I had looked a little more and really gave it a proper whirl, doing my best to extract the parts from different religions that really speak to me. Not to mention that really understanding the religion helps with understanding cultures that rely heavily on it and have laws that are still heavily informed by it.

I still have plenty of time to learn and study, regardless.

[Full_fathom]

>>Yeah I get what you mean. It's easier to just make assumptions.

Probably dating myself, but when I was 12yo the movie 'back to the future' came out and it had a slightly controversial scene where a couple of Arabs tried to blow up Doc and Marty with a grenade launcher. This wasn't invented, world events had already sorta shaped the geo-political relationship and made for easy Hollywood bad guys. (They're pretty disingenuous like that, Hollywood). The Beirut bombing was recent, it probably seemed relevant. These Arabs though, they were portrayed as Iranian, and what we would describe today as 'Jihad'. Not much has changed really, the most easy route is still dogma and probably why it still exists. Like listening to people talk about Israel. The unreasonable meeting the unreasonable, and somehow for absolutely no reason, it effects us... the US, the world's parent. Existing to shoulder every burden, your poor huddled masses. My random thought, not meaning to tack onto or join the above.

[Animal]

Yes! That's the ultimate aim. Exactly the issue my characters contend with in my books as well.

[inkreservoir]

I totally agree with you on that. Good politics are about balance, the right to pursue your own freedom to the fullest degree without infringing on the freedom and humanity of others.

[Animal]

Yeah, I can see that. I'm definitely not a collectivist myself, but I can see the benefit of it, and it's something I contend with in my book. Pure individualism doesn't work.
To me, the REAL "moral argument" is between individualists and collectivists. Both of these positions hold genuine, timeless merit. Society rests on the balance between these principles. The left/right stuff is mostly manufactured for the sake of being divisive. In the 60s, the liberals in USA were individualists and the conservatives were collectivists. Now, it is reversed, although some leftists try to claim it isn't. When someone is a modern leftist and *admits* they are collectivist, that's a position I respect, because it shows that they actually understand what it is that they stand for. And I stand for individualism, but I cannot claim to be a conservative, because I'd switch my affiliation over night if the conservatives became more collectivist, and stopped being the silenced voice who is fighting for my right to speak my opinion. (And others are welcome to be offended by that opinion too, ofc, but not to silence and censor me on media that I'm depending on to promote my work, or kick me out of jobs.. both of which are real dangers for anyone who speaks out against the left today.)

Anyway.. I respect the position of individualism and collectivism, and I believe a healthy society requires an honest balance between the two. The politics of today often obscure the true trends underlying people's positions. So it's hard to have an honest discussion about it.

[inkreservoir]

For sure! I think I'm more inclined toward a collectivist mentality but not at the expense of dissent and self-expression.

[Animal]

I'm so glad you see what I'm saying <3 it's refreshing. I see myself as a *genuine* liberal in many ways, or maybe a libertarian? Someone who values the individual, and aims to be empathic, rather than follow a list of rules - which is equally oppressive coming from the far left, far right, or hyper religious cults who reject homosexuality... etc. Basically, all of that stuff is sociopathic authoritarian nonsense that people are buying into out of desperation. And their desperation is CREATED by the same oppressive elites. Poverty and so forth... it's all manufactured.

[inkreservoir]

Yep, I feel you. The self righteousness on the left is incorrigible, I'm unsure how they see refusal to listen as conducive to anything they claim to care about.

[Animal]

Yeah that makes perfect sense. I'll be the first to admit I don't know much about Islam except what I've learned from a few friends. I know a lot about politics though. And the far left is just as tyrannical (and just as RELIGIOUS about their own beliefs) as the far right, when it comes to governors, and the general philosophies at hand. But the actual people on either side can be very decent, thoughtful, and conscious... or not. So I don't judge someone on their affiliations, be it religious or political. What's more interesting to me is if they're willing to see people who stand on another side of the spectrum as humans.

[inkreservoir]

God yeah I get you!! People have such narrow perspectives about everything. I'm personally very left leaning politically but the grandstanding the left does where they actively refuse to acknowledge that many people on the right are where they are because left has done literally nothing for them.

But anyway yes no worries! Most of my friends aren't aligned to the idea of monotheism in general and have different relationships to spirituality. They just also don't act like they know everything about Islam bc of their experiences with Christianity.

[Animal]

Oh haaha, I get it though. I didn't mean it as a critique. I was just offering another perspective.
It would bother me too, if people make assumptions about a whole group without understanding it. For instance, a lot of people around me believe all Trump supporters are racist and voted for him only for that reason. Meanwhile I know a lot of Trump supporters, and the resounding reason they voted for him is because he's not one of the usual political "swamp..." and in the second election, because black unemployment reached an ultimate low owing to all the time he spent in black communities, meeting with their leaders, trying to help the situation.

[inkreservoir]

Fair enough. I was referring to when people specifically highlight things that actually aren't applicable in this case but yeah I can see how the generalization of my OP was maybe too broad.

[Animal]

inkreservoir When I make comments about the major religions, my criticism or commentary often rests on the major principle of monotheism. So even without knowing the ins and outs, I can see the impact of this on real people who practice those religions around me, and offer my commentary on what might be feeding into certain mindsets that I find either helpful culturally, problematic culturally, or just interesting to discuss and compare to other possible mindsets. Sometimes it's something that simple, at the very core of a thing, that someone is commenting on - even if they don't know every detail about that religion.

[inkreservoir]

Yeah I get what you mean. It's easier to just make assumptions.